Mar 25, 2020 - Economy

Americans expect to spend stimulus money

Reproduced from CivicScience survey; Note: ±3 percentage point margin of error; Chart: Axios Visuals
Reproduced from CivicScience survey; Note: ±3 percentage point margin of error; Chart: Axios Visuals

The majority of respondents to the latest CivicScience poll, provided first to Axios, say they would spend a government stimulus payment on bills, necessities and treats, rather than saving or investing the money.

Why it matters: That is a plus for the economy, which is built on consumers spending, not saving, their money.

Of note: The spending expectations don't differ markedly from the way respondents to earlier surveys said they would use tax refunds.

What to watch: The poll also found that of the respondents who said they would save their government payment, 64% said they would spend a gift of cash rather than save it.

  • 78% of respondents who said they would pay down debt or bills, said they would spend a cash gift rather than save it.

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